The present invention is directed to a novel hand held and digit operated candy tablet dispenser.
Hand held Candy Dispensers are well known and popular particularly in certain age groups. PEZ has developed a loyal following of consumers and collectors over the years. However, as in the case of most available dispensers, the dispensing action involves pushing a tablet from a tablet magazine. In other words it is not very interesting or fun. Examples of such dispensers are contained in the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,048,720; 5,080,258; 5,366,112, 5,460,295; 5,178,298; and 5,785,206.
Based on a review of the state of the art, it appears that an animated hand-held, digit-actuated candy tablet dispenser has been overlooked.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hand-held, animated, tablet candy dispenser.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an animated candy dispenser that includes a pivotal candy gripping and retaining assembly that removes a selected candy item from a generally cylindrical candy stacking magazine to a candy dispensing position above the magazine.
As depicted, the novel dispenser includes a pivotally mounted character with out-stretched arms, pinchers, mouth, etc., (generically grabber). on the top of the candy holder. As a slide button on the dispenser is translated, a linkage to the character causes the character to bend over, grab the top piece of candy inside the candy holder with the grabber, and then pivot to the neutral/standing/un-actuated position while retaining the piece of candy. Preferably, the candy is concealed in the magazine by a trap door or the like until the dispenser is actuated. The trap door/guillotine is linked to the actuator/slide button to retract and expose the candy item as the character pivots/bends down to grab the candy piece. After removing the candy from the magazine, as the character pivots back to the neutral position, the door translates to the closed position.
Given the following provisional description of the drawings, the concept of the inventive animated candy dispenser should be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.